Revolver

Had my car in for a service today with a good quality performance shop (not Mazda knuckleheads).

One of the things I asked them to check was some suspension noise I was getting - like a creaking when going over speed humps, hitting ruts, etc.

It had bothered me for a while and was (very) gradually getting worse. I had the suspension spanner checked previously by a suspension place and they couldn't find anything wrong but I thought I'd get another opinion.

The view today is that the aftermarket sway bar links (Whiteline adjustable bars and Whiteline spherical links) are the source of the noise. Apparently the joint is inferior and gradually they start to creak and make noise. The cure is to fit rose joints for about $800 all up.

This makes sense to me (i.e. the cause, not the cure!) but I thought I'd sound you lot out to see if anyone else has noticed this with aftermarket sway bars and links. He says he's had a number of customers with the same problem. I've had the bars for about 4 years now but the links only got fitted end of '07 and the more I think about it the more I think that the noise only became apparent after that.

Rather than fork out $800 to fix up the Whiteline bars and links, I wonder if I'm better off selling them and getting MS items or some other brand. Any ideas?

Revolver

Btw, I intend to run this by Whiteline to give them an opportunity to respond. Will keep you all posted....

Flashwing

I'm really interested in this. I have the exact same setup (non adjustable bars) from whiteline with their links. My passenger side link snapped at the eye bolt!

My front end has clunked for about a year now and perhaps now I know why.

I've also heard from another local RX8 owner that he isn't happy with Whiteline's endlinks. I was going to send them pics and see if anything can be done but I know these links are out of warranty. I'm in AZ so there isn't any snow or salt to rust these things out.

Revolver

Ok mate. I've sent off the query to Whiteline, so watch this space...

matt13b

I have a similar noise and I suspect it is the same thing(you have even driven my car but we couldnt hear it). I found this thread on it. I think it is the same thing- https://www.rx8club.com/series-i-trouble-shooting-95/progress-anti-sway-bar-bump-noise-fix-176182/

Revolver

Here's a response I got from Nathan at RENEW, whose opinion I respect:

What did u do with the original bushed links? Id put them back in as the spherical ones are just cheapo crap and dont last.
Rose jointed ends are a bit extreme and $800 is one hell of a lot of rose joints Even with them you will get noise as they wear due to road grime and their location so its only going to be a bandaid solution.
You will need to make sure the bar is well lubed anywhere it is in contact with a bush or the car as it all dries out and noises start coming from everywhere.

Revolver

I must admit my eyes glazed over halfway thru that discussion but I get the general idea.

Maybe we should 'GB' the fix suggested by Team, Matt. Let me know if you want to give it a go and we'll find someone to do it for us...

Revolver

Here is Whiteline's response:

Recently we have revised our listings regarding our spherical links and have noted 'race use only' On the street - we find it extremely difficult to keep water and dirt out and due to their extremely low compliance this can cause NVH/rattling. This is not say they are worn and will work fine.

I believe sending another kit will infact end you up in similar circumstances. We are currently working on a new ball design which would solve the issue, but unfortunately this is still approx 2 months away.

Revolver

And here is Nathan's response to that thread:

Looking at that thread id be pretty sure that it either wasnt lubed correctly or often enough and the bar has dragged the bush with it pulling the mount along the slot. Theres also a good chance it was never tightened up correctly in the first place and has come loose.

People always forget to lube the bushes periodically usually just fit and forget.

Flashwing

I admit that I don't lube my bushings as often as I should. It's not an area of the car I'm always working on. I would only take the wheels off to make suspension adjustments and that doesn't happen till I'm on the track anyway.

Sounds to me like whiteline was aiming for a performance race only endlink without looking into something that can survive the streets.

takahashi

My bushing is very lubed... I don't want to described it ... coz it will be R rated.
I never lube it frequently... Just check it periodically and mechanics put something on (spray or waxy stuf) now and then.

I don't have noise on road ... I have MazdaSpeed sway and Autoexe link front and rear.

The only time I hear sway bar noise is when I have massive understeer when I failed to drift the car.

Revolver

Talking to some of the crew at the track yesterday it seems Whiteline are on the nose. Don't appear to be spending the R&D time properly because their time is taken up with more lucrative projects (e.g. Commodore development)...

May look elsewhere for replacements...

DrewMan

I use the Agency Power endlinks. Theyre quite meaty and havent caused me any problems for over 2 years now

Revolver

Thanks Drew. Where from and how much?

retro

Dave I have decided I will stick with the MS sway bars - I am used to them and when the PSS9s are put in I will want to play with them without anything else being changed - certainly for awhile.

That means the Ric Shaw adjustable sway bars will still be sitting in my garage. PM me if you want to try them out.

Cheers
Alan

auzoom

Dave,

My thoughts on this are that why would you buy another set when you can just lube them every 3-6 months?

Cheers

Andrew

Revolver

Thanks for that generous offer Alan. I think it's the end links though that are the source of the NVH issue, so I'll see if I can cure that before looking at the bars...

Revolver

I could do that but frankly I wouldn't know where to start and don't want to have to pay for someone else to do it when a better quality product may fix the problem...but feel free to give me a quick DIY lesson at the Nats!

DrewMan

I got them off eBay when there were quite a few shops selling them. now youd be hard pressed to find them other than directly from the agency power website

I got them as a set for front and back for about 250 shipped.

I got them installed at the same time as my cusco swaybars

matt13b

So you had Ric Shaw sway bars and changed them for MS bars did you Allen?

Revolver

No, he's had the MS bars fitted for a while I think and planned to put on the Ric Shaw bars but is now delaying it for a while...

Alan, let me know if you ever plan to sell the MS bars - they're probably a good fit with the MS shocks and springs I've got...

retro

Matt

My first mod (ages ago) was putting on the adjustable swaybars keeping the OEM shocks and springs. Worked ok but did not address pitch and dive of course. After awhile I decided to get the mazdaspeed suspension complete so shocks springs and swaybars - I figured they knew what they were doing and would have everything matched. This worked very well and I have had it for quite sometime. The swaybars are not as stiff as some others (15% more than stock I think) so not to everyones taste but I have found them ok.

I originally thought that when the adjustable coilovers go in I will put in the Ric Shaw adjustable swaybars so there would be nothing stopping me from playing with all aspects of the suspension. Now I am thinking leave the mazdaspeed ones in for now while I get used to the new coilovers and then maybe switch them for the adjustable swaybars if I feel the need.

Dave - if I do that and the mazdaspeed ones come off, I will let you know. I should have thought of it when we were at Wakefield - you could have had a couple of laps in my car to see what it felt like.

Cheers
Alan

matt13b

Ok I see. So the Ric Shaw bars are new/unused?

retro

Just read my post and realised I didn't make it clear - the first mod being the adjustable swaybars were the Ric Shaw adjustable swaybars. So they are used. I took them off when I got the complete mazdaspeed suspension and they have been in the garage since.

Cheers
Alan

Revolver

That's why I'm interested Alan - I've thought for a while now that perhaps the Whiteline sways are too stiff for my MS shocks and springs, so I'm interested in completing the set as you have done. So, keep me posted if you decide to go to the adjustables...